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T. E. WEED.

Grain Drier.

Patented Feb. 24, 1852.

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{TED STATES PATENT.

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T. E. WEED, OF XVILLIAMSBURG, NEW YORK.

GRAIN -DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 8,764, dated February 24, 1852.

lowing is a full and exact description of the construction and operation of the same.

The nature of my invention consists in the combination of a series of circular steam chambers with the same number of circular pans arranged alternately one above the other for creating a great amount of surface by that means making it practical for drying malt which has not heretofore been done with any success with machines on account of not having suflicient-surface to hold any quantity at a timebutin this machine the difiiculty is obviatedfor the chambers and pans can bemade any required circumference and also any number arranged one above the other. A current ofair is also applied in such a manner that it is all the time blowing over the difierent surfaces and also passes through the grain a number of times in its passage through the machine.

and carries off all the vapor or steam that rlses whlch is very essentlal in drying malt as a very great amount of evaporation takes place.

In most of machines for drying grain, &,c., a difficulty is experienced by the grain getting injured from the vapor that rises from some portion of it and coming in contact with another portion which steams or scalds and consequently must injure the quality of the article materially but in this case the vapor is all driven away as fast as it rises by a current of air in such a manner that itproduces an entirely different effect, and even if the current of air is not applied the grain resting on one surface can in no way injure that which is above it, as each surface is solid material and the vapor cannot get through but must pass off around the outer edge from its own gravitation.

For a full description of the difierent parts and the working and operation of the same, I refer to the accompanying drawings by letters. The same letters refer to. like parts.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the machine, Fig. 2 is a vertical section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the chamber with the pan county of Kings, State of New.

underneath, and scrapers dotted. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the pan with the opening in the center;

A A are circular steam chambers coinposed of two plates of boiler iron or other material suiitably secured together around the outer edge steam tight leaving about three inches hollow space between for the steam to circulate; the top plate is a plane fiat surface the bottom plate decends to the center suflicient to allow the condensed water to pass down the shaft B B and escape from the pipe T.

B B is a hollow shaft extending through the center in sections and supports each of the chambers A A in their positions and through whichthe steam passes into them for heating the machine. The chambers are made sufficiently strong to stand the same pressure of steam, as the boiler consequently any degree of heat can be regulated that is required.

C C are circular pans made of sheet iron or other materials suitably supported by arms D which are secured to the main shaft 13 B. The pans are made larger in circumference than the steam chambers, and catch the grain as it falls from them which is then conducted to the center and falls through the opening in the pan onto the next steam shaft.

7 F F is a frame work that revolves around the top part resting on the head of the main shaft which forms a kind of pivot on which it turns. The bottom turns on a ring made on the shaft which keeps the frame work steady and prevents its wabbling or wavering in any manner.

9 g are scrapers secured to the arms H H which are made fast to the frame work F F and revolve around with the same. The scrapers g g are set at an angle with the grain for either carrying it out from or into the center.

from the center in a circle to the outer edge and the pans being larger in circumference catch itas it falls, and the scrapers on the pans being set at a reverse angle with those on the steam chambers carry it back to the center and falls through the opening onto the next steam chamber whichis then carried out in the same manner, and so on throughout any number of chambers, and pans that may be arranged.

I I, are small chambers that extend Those on the steam chambers operate as the grain falls on to carry it' around the center shaft in each of the spaces between the chambers and pans.

J J are slots or openings in the chambers and extend all around them.

K is a pipe that extends up through the machine with an opening into each of the chambers I I a current of hot air is forced to the pipe and passes into each of the chambers from which a thin blade escapes through the slots or openings J J and passes off in a circle from the center, at a right angle or nearly so with the main shaft. The current of air as it passes off is all the time blowing over a new surface that is stirred up by the scrapers and also passes through the grain as it is loosened up falling from the chambers onto the pans and also falling from the pans onto the chambers which carries ofi all the vaporthat rises.

L is an iron bar that supports the weight of the machine.

M, is a cross secured to the floor above and I the rod, N, which is secured to the main work F F, and move around with the same to keep the grain from falling over in passing through the machine. The hollow is represented in the shaft in Fig. 2, through which the steam passes into the chambers. The scrapers g g are secured to the arms H H by a square head fitting into a square socket or hole in the arms and each scraper is fitted loosely to rise up and down to suit any unevenness in the surface, as they revolve around. The pipe for conveying the steam from the boiler to the machine connects at R.

1. I claim the center hollow shaft B B for the double purpose first for forming the support in the center for the steam chainbers, and pans, as described, and second for forming a passage for the steam to pass into each of the chambers for chine.

2. I claim, substantially as described, the arrangement of the air chambers I Thetween the steam chambers and pans with openings in them for a thin blade of air to escape in a circle from the center at a right angle or nearly so with the main shaft B B and the pipe extendingthrough the machine as shown for supplying the chambers with air operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose as herein set forth.

T. E. WEED. [L.s.]

Witnesses:

C. M. BRIGGS, VVM. H. PENNOYE.

heating the ma- 

